Yesterday I shared one of my go-to “easy cook” meals, but today is for my second place go-to. When I am so tired, or sick, or just plain don’t feel like eating real food unless someone else brings it to me. Smoothies are common for breakfasts or snacks, but they also make terrific lunches or dinners. And they can hide a lot of nutrition in a tasty thick shake, perfect for first trimester pregnant ladies who can’t stand the sight of vegetables (please tell me I wasn’t the only one!) or sick kiddos, or anytime!

This smoothie carefully balance carbohydrates, protein, and fats, along with vitamin-rich fruits and veggies to pack a meal’s worth of nutrition into one glass, ensuring a daily dose of goodness.

Tuesday afternoon my throat started swelling up. Tuesday evening I got to stand outside in a dust haze created by 200 MBA students playing in a dodge ball tournament. By Wednesday my whole head was fuzzy and stuffy. I’ve never been more thankful to be able to work at home, so I could work in my pajamas on the couch, curled up next to the humidifier and a bottle of Dayquil. In a desperate attempt to get as many antioxidants and vitamins into my body, I pulled out the blender and made a miracle smoothie. I’ve made one every day since and I swear I feel ten times better after each glass.

Orange Berry Creamsicle Smoothie

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 banana, frozen

1 c mixed berries, frozen

1 T flax seeds

1/2 c orange juice

1/2 c vanilla almond milk

Steps:

Add ingredients to a blender (in order to help the blending process).

Blend until smooth, adding more OJ if needed.

Discover you can breathe again! 🙂

This smoothie really felt like magic. I swear it worked much better than the medicinal tasting Dayquil I’d been depending on.